A Trek Down Rosy Mountains
by PierceTheVeils
Summary: Ema isn't one for feeling insecure, but when gorgeous suitors for the regent arrive every day, it gets harder and harder to remember that. Luckily. Nahyuta is there to remind her.


A Trek Down Rosy Mountains

Three months ago, Ema thought all her dreams had come true. After years of endless frustration and failure, she passed her forensics exam with flying colors. She was recognized as a forensics investigator (and still a detective. Isn't budgeting fun?) and freed of the glimmerous fop. Anyone who asked Ema would have been told that her life was complete. Forensics was her passion in life, after all. Why wouldn't it be all she wanted?

Now, she realized she'd had other dreams all along. Dreams reached not by passing a test, but by reaching out to others. Through them, she realized the dream of being appreciated for who she was. The dream of being beautiful. The dream of taking part in something bigger than her.

The dream of being loved.

Loved. Three months ago, she would have laughed. What use did she have for love in her life? She was twenty seven, single, and doing just fine, thank you very much.

But after years of chasing her sister's smile and a government agency's certification, she never realized how little love she'd had in her life. And now, her heart was full of it, emotions pouring in and out stinging sweeter than the last.

And the man who made her realize those dreams was hunched over her, kissing her neck and murmuring Khura'inist sutras. The attention made her sigh, relaxing further back into the palace bed. It also made her insecure.

"I don't deserve this."

"Hmmm?"

"You're busy all the time. You don't have to take time out of your day just because some girls are rude."

From the start, Ema wanted their relationship to be discreet. She didn't want to be a political figure, and Nahyuta respected that. But being perceived as single left him open to endless barrages of suitors, mostly rich families sending their daughters to simper and smile and try to get their hands on more power. Some were as young as his sister.

Every day, there seemed to be one or a couple hanging about, trying to get their regent's attention. And every day, Nahyuta politely avoided them, as distant as he could be without causing offense to Khura'in's upper class.

So naturally, they all hated her. Thanks to her work, she spent more time with Nahyuta than any one of them. Oh, what poor company their future husband was keeping.

Apparently, the dirt haired nonbeliever with no virtues wasn't worthy of his royal company.

It must have shown on her face, when he laughed. "Enough. Don't think such thoughts." He brought his head up, gazing into her eyes with a lazy smile. "You're always worth my while."

"Hmmm."

Sometimes, she wondered why Nahyuta had chosen her, when he could be married by now to a lovely Khura'inese wife who followed his religion and shared their nation's values. And views. And beauty.

Ema had never been one to fuss about her looks. She'd never had a reason to before. Now, next to her stunner of a boyfriend and his endless following of gorgeous women, she felt... Inadequate, sometimes.

"You're lovely, Ema."

"Yeah, yeah," she answered gruffly, trying to make herself not linger on it. It wasn't working.

So he pushed on ahead. "Your eyes shine bright with passion. Your soul sings pure with hope. Your green iris blooms from a bed of fine mind, lashes long and seeking."

She blushed, looking away. He was just trying to make her feel better.

Gently, he turned her head back. "Your cheeks are flower petals, flowing from the rose of your lips. Your words are covered by nothing and reaching to all. No illusions of grandeur."

He kissed her lips, long and slow. Her heart fluttered, hands reaching up to tangle in his lavender mane. She moaned.

"Mm... Your voice is the ring of a temple bell, sharp and clear in melody. Wrapped around the framework of daily life."

She felt his smooth hands run down her body, reaching to unbutton her shirt. "You stand humble and full of knowledge, seeking order in the midst of chaos. Your hands hold me to reality, your body calls me back from the cliff of my thoughts." A quick kiss on the base of her neck.

He removed her clothes slowly, layer by layer like he was uncovering the path to her soul. He stared at her naked body with lust and admiration. His voice was uncharacteristically raspy when he said: "You don't know what you do to me."

She shuddered, feeling his hands roam over her waist and tits, fingers pinching to toy with her nipples. "The caps of mountains, tall and firm, only inviting to the worthy. Atop is an altar, for your traveler to give devotion."

He brought his mouth down onto one, leaving a generous offering that left her warm and fuzzy in thought. "Every inch of you is beautiful."

"Ah... Nahyuta, come o-" He switched on her mid sentence, and her mouth refused to connect words together. Only making sounds.

He took his time, up in those mountains. It was great, but she was hoping he'd travel elsewhere soon.

"When I have to leave the peak, it's a slow, scenic trek down, through the forest to a pooling lake, overflowing with pleasures."

She hadn't even realized how wet she was until he put his mouth to her, taking long, thirsty drinks, lapping like a dog to his bowl. She almost cried.

How could she ever be worth such a good life? It was a blessing of a deity, something far beyond observation and reach. Three months ago, she would have never considered the thought.

Speaking of deities, she seemed to be falling for one. Watching his long hair flow over her skin, swing out of its braid and cascade over her like a river.

Without thinking, she grabbed his hair, moaning and sighing and pulling as her lake flooded with sensation. It was a minute still until he pulled away.

"Your beauty is a gift. Never cover it up. Never be ashamed to possess it."

"Ah..."

"You're beautiful."

* * *

 **A/N's: I wasn't originally going to publish this here, but then I became saddened by the lack of content for the ship on this site. So I edited it from my post on the link meme and am ready to offer up my second major contribution to the tag.**

 **This was the prompt: Nahyuta worships Ema's body... and/or vice versa. Simple as that. Everything else is up to A!A.**

 **Also, I think this fits FF's guidelines on the M rating, since the sex isn't very explicit. And even if it doesn't, I've seen worse get a pass (worse in terms of breaking the guideline, not in quality). Either way, don't forget to review, thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the far side!**


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